Welder help

[Boulder Cruiser]

Ok so i know nothing about how to weld or anything on the topic. I want to buy a cheap welder so i can start learning. I will eventually weld sliders,bumpers, etc. for my car but i want to learn how before i buy something expensive. So my question is what are some decent starter brands and what kinds of specs should i look for?

[Allen Cox]

110v or 220v?

You need to decide on the power available for the demand that you've got. If you don't have 220v in the garage, then a 110v will do for now. But if you've got the 220v available, then your choices are wide open.

[Boulder Cruiser]

I do have 220 in my garage.

[Allen Rose]

Miller 175 since you've got the 220V access. However if you want to spend a few more bucks then step up to the 210. Better duty cycle and you have the extra power if you ever need it.

Here's a link to one on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MILLERMATIC-210-MIG-WELDER-907046_W0QQitemZ280090966872QQcategoryZ113743QQssP ageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



Axle

[Ryan Gee]

That welder rocks... I have one!!! Miller and Hobart are the same company. My Hobart welder has a Miller handle. I was at Tool King the other day and they have same exact 210amp welder with the Hobart sticker on the side for around 800-900 bucks!

[Allen Cox]

That is a nice welder. If I had a garage, that'd be the beasty!

[Boulder Cruiser]

Ha Ha thats a little to much $$$ for me!!!! I dont want to spend that much right now. I just want a decent used welder, any ideas $200-300

[Ryan Gee]

You are going to have to use arc for that amount of cash...

[Alpine Spirit]

What about a used Lincoln Pro-MIG 140?

[bama16]

i bought a miller 135...i searched for a while before i purchased...it's always best to get as big as you can...no one ever wishes for a smaller welder...but i got the 135 anyway....mainly becuase i bought it for work on my 240z, nothing thicker than 16g on there so it works great (supposed to do 3/16 in a single pass but i wouldn't trust that, maybe with a couple passes). came out to around 600 shipped on ebay...which is a pretty good price. the nice things is that it's portable...plugs into any 110 outlet...so a buddy needs help i can haul it over there...only weighs about 70lbs. i have a 65cf bottle on the back that's fairly portable too and last what seems like forever and i do quite a bit of welding. it seems like welding with a crappy welder would make you really good when you get something nice....just save for something good and learn there...a crappy welder will give you nothing but headaches...

[Packman5280]

my harbor freight welder works great, and was perfect to learn with. it runs on 220, puts out 135 amps so it isn't killer, but it goes on sale often for $199, regular price is like $400 so not reallyworth it but for $200 it rocks. it's the dual mig 151, comes ready for flux and can run a bottle if you buy some extra stuff.

[DamnHippie]

After trying to weld with a cheap 90 amp 110v welder for a while last year I finally came to the conclusion that they just don't have the ooomph to work with the heavy steel we like to weld to our trucks. So a couple months ago I got a Miller 210, it rules. A good welder (machine) can make a bad welder (dude) look like a pro. :)

[Ditchfinder]

If you have a Mac tools dealer you can get a clarke for about $950 with financing on the truck the welder is complete with everything. but Ryans deal is real good I like you dont have 9bills just laying around.

[Crawln79bronco]

I have a Lincoln 110v Flux core welder I got from Home Depot. It cost around 325.00 buck and can be converted to use gas for 100.00 dollars. It will weld tubing no problem considering u will most likely be using .120 or 1/8" thick material. I have welded up to 1/4" with a root and cover pass but you have to burn it real slow. I have had good luck with this welder for the price.

[Boulder Cruiser]

Thanks for the help guys! I think i'm going to go with the harbor freight welder that packman recommended. It should do the job until i can get something nicer.